1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a waste liquid container, which contains waste liquid such as waste ink that has been used in a device, and a liquid ejection device, into which the waste liquid container is fitted and retained in a retaining compartment in a removable manner. Further, the present invention relates to a waste liquid collection system provided with a waste liquid container retaining unit, which includes a retaining compartment, and a waste liquid container, which is fitted into and retained in a removable manner in the retaining compartment.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2012-196804 describes an example of a container serving as a waste liquid container that may be retained in a liquid ejection device. The liquid ejection device, in which such a waste liquid container is retained, includes a retaining compartment that is in communication with the outside through an opening. The waste liquid container is inserted through the opening toward the innermost part of the retaining compartment. When the waste liquid container is in a retained state retained in the liquid ejection device, a discharge unit located at the innermost part of the retaining compartment is fitted into an fitted portion in the front wall of the waste liquid container. This allows the waste liquid that has been used by the liquid ejection device to be discharged through the discharge unit into a collection compartment formed in the waste liquid container.
The waste liquid container includes first and second side walls connected to a front wall and located on opposite sides of the collection compartment. The first side wall includes an outwardly projecting positioning projection. The retaining compartment of the liquid ejection device includes a plate spring that biases the positioning projection of the first wall when the waste liquid container is in the retained state. When the positioning projection receives the biasing force of the plate spring, the waste liquid container is biased in the direction from the first side wall to the second side wall.
The second side wall includes a container connection terminal that contacts a device connection terminal, which is located in the retaining compartment. When the waste liquid container is in the retained state, the biasing force of the plate spring pushes the container connection terminal against the device connection terminal. This keeps the connection terminals held in contact with each other in a satisfactory manner. When the connection terminals are connected in such a manner, a controller of the liquid ejection device is able to read or rewrite the contents stored in a memory such as an IC chip of the waste liquid container.
As described above, the first side wall of the waste liquid container includes the outwardly projecting positioning projection. Thus, the retaining compartment of the liquid ejection device needs to be provided with space that allows for movement of the positioning projection when the waste liquid container is inserted into the retaining compartment and when the waste liquid container is removed from the retaining compartment. Such space forms dead space.
In the retaining compartment, the waste liquid container in the retained state may be forced against the lower surface of the retaining compartment to stably position the waste liquid container. However, when the waste liquid container described in JP-A-2012-196804 is in the retained state, the biasing force of the plate spring acts in the horizontal direction. Thus, the waste liquid container is not pressed against the lower surface, and the positioning of the waste liquid container in the retaining compartment may become unstable.
Such a problem is not limited to when retaining a waste liquid container in a liquid ejection device and may also occur when retaining a waste liquid container in a device other than a liquid ejection device.